c++ - How to return an Iterator--list<T>:: iterator, as function return value -

i implementing abstract hash-table container. find() function defined , works fine, shown below:

template <class hashedobj> hashedobj& hashtable<hashedobj>::find(const hashedobj &x){     typename list<hashedobj>::iterator itr;     itr = std::find(thelist[hash(x)].begin(), thelist[hash(x)].end(), x);     if(itr == thelist[hash(x)].end())         return item_not_found;     else         return *itr; }  

however, want define function called findaddress() returns itr (the iterator) instead of *itr. code is:

typedef list<hashedobj>::iterator iterator; template <class hashedobj> iterator hashtable<hashedobj>::find(const hashedobj &x){     return std::find(thelist[hash(x)].begin(), thelist[hash(x)].end(), x); }  

the above complain that:

type std::list<hashedobj, std::allocator<_chart> > not derived type   hashedtable<hashedobj>. 

basically want return iterator type has been defined std before.

i no expert, both functions have same name in code given, while accepting same parameter. normal? also, assume mean "function called findaddress()" instead of "class called findaddress()".